


Young Fools

by PvtSnail



Category: Motherland: Fort Salem (TV)
Genre: F/F, Yearning, light angst?, longing glances, soft scenes, will this continue? maybe...maybe not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:40:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27428077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PvtSnail/pseuds/PvtSnail
Summary: Scylla is a Spree Ambassador, the link between this new, and rocky alliance.orScylla only accepted the Spree's offer so she could fight for Raelle
Relationships: Raelle Collar/Scylla Ramshorn
Comments: 11
Kudos: 102





	1. You braided my hair too tight

**Author's Note:**

> heyyyyy guysssss.....
> 
> Lots goin on with life, new puppy, i lost all desire to write and haven't really been doin so hot, but I had a breakdown tonight and got inspired with this!  
> hopefully I can find a way to fit writing back into my schedule because I truly miss my stories ://  
> <3

Scylla sat in a swivel chair, the kind that could turn in full circles, and whether it was anxiety or purely wanting to get on Anacostia’s nerves she found herself twirling in the chair, unable to stop. Scylla smirked each time she passed Anacostia as the squeaks caused the older woman’s eye to twitch. It was only when a hand reached out and grabbed a hold of the back of the chair that Scylla finally looked up at the woman.

She met eyes that looked at her with a blank appearance to anyone else, but Scylla could find the kindness in them, and the concern.

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?” Anacostia’s voice was barely above a whisper, her hand moving to the younger witch’s shoulder. Scylla stiffened at the warmth of the contact before allowing herself to settle into it.

Guarded blue eyes met composed browns and Scylla found herself with the urge to smile reassuringly at the companion next to her. Not many could read Anacostia, but Scylla was one of the lucky few, either that or they just spent too much time with each other.

“Not like I have much of a choice.” Scylla shrugged, her smile not quite reaching her eyes, Anacostia allowed herself to frown before the door opened and both girls straightened, Scylla moving to stand up and face the entourage before her.

In walked a proud General Alder, who’s face immediately contorted into a scowl at the sight of Scylla. She stood proudly in the center of the War room, eyes narrowing at the young witch before her, a hand clenching into a fist at its side. Scylla raised her brow in challenge, meeting stormy greys with her defiant gaze.

Behind Alder came what Scylla hadn’t been ready to see. In fact, it was the only reason Scylla had even agreed to being the ambassador for her Spree Cell. Even if it would cause her pain every day, even if it was clearly being used as a way to keep her in line because Goddess knows Scylla would’ve left the Spree for a life of dodging if it weren’t for one thing Willa could promise.

_The Bellweather Unit._

_To see Raelle, every day._

Whether the blonde liked it or not, they were two connections between the organizations, and so they’d be stuck to work together, they’d be Scylla’s personal “escorts” while she was on the base. She’d be serving a prison sentence after all, but the prison look glamorous. Scylla didn’t find she minded it as much as she should’ve, because at least it brought those blue eyes back into her life.

Blue eyes that immediately locked onto hers, they were red-rimmed, and there was a deep purple etched into the skin below them. Raelle looked exhausted, her hair wasn’t quite up to standards, her position of attention was loose enough that she looked on the verge of collapsing, the only thing stopping her from falling over was the two giants next to her. Raelle’s sisters, Tally and High Atlantic.

The two girls stood up tall around Raelle, and she noticed a hand from Tally settled onto Raelle’s shoulder, her eye twitched at the tight squeeze of encouragement the red head seemed to give her, and she watched as blue eyes flicked away from hers and gave a grateful look to her sister.

Scylla looked away to the ground, a shoot of pain stabbing at her heart, realizing that she was partially responsible for all the kinds of fucked up Raelle was feeling at that moment. She felt so incredibly selfish, she should’ve said no, should’ve told the Spree she was done doing their chores and get out. Her eyes flashed at Anacostia, the woman reading her in an instant and as the older witch went to greet Alder she made sure to discreetly pat Scylla’s shoulder.

With a deep breath Scylla returned her gaze to Raelle, who’s head was cocked at the display of affection coming from her former drill sergeant to a known terrorist. When their eyes met Scylla bared her soul in the instant she could, and finally she knew why she couldn’t get those tired eyes out of her head.

_A tired series of knocks rapped at her dorm, she scowled to herself, wanting the night to herself, she could only take so much socializing with the other necros. And Goddess for a bunch of people that are supposed to keep to themselves the batch in her year group did not seem to get the memo._

_Running her hands through her hair Scylla rotated her shoulders and slowly opened the door to reveal an exhausted Raelle._

_“Hey beautiful.” Her voice was hoarse, they must’ve done difficult seed work today._

_“Rae-”_

_“I know, m’ sorry I know you like your studyin’ time, I just couldn’t sleep n’ I always sleep better next t’ you n’ trainin’s been real hard but I’ve been puttin’ in the work like ya said I need to do n-”_

_“Raelle it’s okay, I missed you.” She was surprised to find herself not even lying. Something about just being near Raelle invigorated Scylla, it made her more focused, it made her feel better. Maybe it was a fixer thing._

_Scylla snorted, no it wasn’t a fixer thing, it was just a Raelle thing._

_She guided the blonde to her bed where a mess of papers were strewn about, random sigils and runes, a diagram of the anatomy of a bird on one open page of a textbook, sticky notes on almost everything with tired lazy handwriting that still managed to be better than Raelle’s best._

_Scylla cleared the papers into a neater pile as Raelle took off her uniform, already headed for Scylla’s drawers where she knew she could borrow a clean sleep shirt that smelled infinitely better than the standard issued soap they gave to the first years._

_“Come here.” Scylla patted her lap, and Raelle smirked at her, brow lifting up._

_“See you’re taking charge tonight?” She laid her drawl on thick, offering a quick wink as she licked her lips suggestively. Scylla rolled her eyes grabbing Raelle by her shirt and giving her a warm kiss, pulling back as she felt Raelle push harder._

_“Not tonight. You need to sleep, and I need to study. That’s the deal.” Scylla’s tone gave no room for argument, and like the good soldier she was, Raelle nodded and replied with an affirmative ‘yes ma’am’ and climbed into the small barely even a twin-sized bed._

_Raelle laid her head in Scylla’s lap, cuddling underneath the covers and smiling against the warmth of Scylla’s thighs. The skin offering a soft heated pillow that Raelle would never be able to get enough of._

_Scylla grabbed her papers, reading over her work, making adjustments here and there, acutely aware of the breaths fanning out against her legs from the beautiful girl in her lap. She could feel the blonde’s eyes on her but she only smiled in response, pushing her glasses with her index finger so that they’d rest more comfortably._

_Maybe Raelle could do some fixer work on them so they’d stay tight, or she could do it herself, but part of her knew Raelle would jump at the opportunity to do something for her, and that made Scylla’s heart warm up a little bit more._

_Eventually Scylla stopped making notes, turning her attention to a text book. She needed to read through five chapters that Izadora had assigned by tomorrow morning. It was exhausting work, and normally Scylla had an object to fiddle with as she read, but her hands found Raelle’s hair instead, and so with expert fingers she untangled the day's braids, running her hands through the free strands._

_She smiled, stifling a laugh as Raelle’s sound of content, continuing on her work as she made sure there weren’t any knots in the girl’s head. Once she was satisfied Scylla began to braid, finding herself speaking out work into the braid like a mother would as she’d braid her daughter’s hair, eyes still trained on the textbook detailing different sizes of vertebrae in avians._

_A murmur of protection, hair crossed, a murmur of strength, another strand put into place, a murmur of confidence, another hair falling into line, a murmur of love, and she squinted as Raelle winced out, a quiet hiss._   
_She had pulled too hard._

_With a silent curse Scylla apologized, patting the girl’s head before finishing the braid off, unable to help herself of drawing the protection rune out over the girl._

_Perhaps two hours later, Raelle fast asleep, arms encircled around Scylla’s outstretched legs, the brunette finished her studies, she quietly, and discreetly put her papers and books on the ground, rubbing Raelle’s head softly as she untangled the blonde from her, laughing at the groans of protests from the girl._

_“Scyl-” Her sleepy murmur caused a surge of adoration in Scylla. She smiled at the sleeping beauty before her, unable to help but be amazed at just how content Raelle was in her arms as she reattached herself, an arm thrown over Scylla’s chest and a leg raised over hers._

_Scylla looked up laying on her back as her arms encircled Raelle, pulling her as close to her as she could without hurting or waking up the girl._

_It was at that moment that Scylla first thought those daring three words._

_I love her._

Tired blue eyes continued to stare at hers, unable to stop themselves from softening at the pain shown in each other’s eyes before both put on guarded expressions, before both steeled their gaze.

Scylla only steeled hers in response to Raelle, following her lead because they couldn’t talk now, if that’s what Raelle even wanted to do. No, they couldn’t talk now, and they wouldn’t be able to for some time, they’d only get to have little moments from across the room, where they both share a memory of a life long ago, a life they both yearn to go back to, a life they both regret and desire all at once.

All communicated with a simple glance in each other’s direction.

The love communicated still so dreadfully obvious.

Both girls were too busy looking at the other to notice the eyes in the room had fallen onto them. Alder cleared her throat, taking her seat and watching as everyone snapped their attention back onto the eldest witch of them all.

“Well then, shall we begin?”


	2. I love you til my breathin' stops

The mess hall was crowded like always, but the Bellweather unit sat in their usual spots. Tally on Raelle’s left and Abigail across from her. The weeks had been long, working non-stop under Alder’s orders to be on the committee working with the Spree Cell that transferred onto base. Of course, among them was none other than Scylla Ramshorn, and of course Alder made sure the unit would be working with them. 

Just another in a long line of punishments. 

Raelle was finally happy to have a moment of rest, training early morning, studying late into the night, and bouncing ideas off in a war room was beginning to weigh heavily on her shoulders, and well a dinner and long night of sleep to start their only day off was just what she needed. 

She felt Tally stiffen beside her and looked up from her tray, watching as a brunette beauty with eyes as deep as the sea and as hypnotizing as a siren entered the facility alone. Raelle kept her eyes on Scylla like a hawk, unable to stop the mess of feelings jumping around her stomach and the cool crack of icy fear tingling in her spine. 

_ I shouldn’t be afraid. She should be the one- _

__ “You need to talk to her.” Tally’s voice brought her out of her trance, moving her gaze from Scylla in the line to get her food over to the bright girl sitting next to her. Raelle fixed her with a look of disbelief, even Abigail laughed with the same expression.

“No, no way.” 

“Look, if not for the clear things you two need to work out-”

“Tally.” Raelle growled but the red-head fixed her a look and Raelle rolled her eyes but let her sister continue.

“If you’d let me finish, it would also be nice to not have to work around all your tension and angst.” Raelle went to protest only to be cut off before Abigail spoke.

“I mean, she’s not wrong Shitbird, everytime she enters the room you're distracted, at least when you two were on good terms we’d be a functioning unit.” 

It was silent as Raelle weighed what she was hearing, and her eyes looked over to find Scylla almost at the end of the line getting her tray filled with hearty greens and and proteins to help fuel them properly as cogs in the war machine. 

“Look, Raelle, whatever you need to do, I just need a non-distracted Collar.” Abigail summarized and Raelle nodded letting her know she heard the Bellweather before scraping her tray with her fork once more. 

She took a bite of veggies and with a fork still popped into her mouth she let her eyes roam the facility again, eye’s automatically landing upon Scylla, tray in both her hands looking around the full room. It was like the new girl in high school trying to figure out where she belonged, and Raelle half expected her to just turn around and eat in the restroom just like those old cliche movies her pop sometimes put on back at home when she had a long day. 

Instead, she heard Tally call over to Scylla from her shoulder, and Raelle watched as the brunette’s face changed to a flick of gratefulness immediately smoothing over to nonchalance as she met Raelle’s eyes once more. 

Raelle found her tray more interesting than the woman moving to sit in the empty seat in front of her. The grip on her fork was harder, and she could feel Scylla’s penetrating eyes looking at the whitening of her finger tips.

“You know what, it was nice to offer-” Scylla began, and the cold rush of fear gripped at Raelle, crawling up her spine, tugging in between her toes and pulling at the roots of her hair. Her entire body was washed over with the icy bucket of cold water and she clenched her teeth unable to stop the words from pouring out just like the metaphorical bucket of fear poured over her. 

“Stay.” She looked at the peas, they were touching her carrot slices, the tiniest little things. Her gaze moved over to where her outstretched hand gripped Scylla’s wrist almost as tight as she had gripped her fork only moments ago, the damn thing forgotten on the table. Scylla paused, half way up and in the motion to get out of the metal chair, hands cautiously on her own tray, finding herself gripping tighter to it as a way to steady herself against feeling Raelle’s desperate touch.

Scylla stared at where their skin touched, the warmth, and the sparks erupting in her belly as she memorized every little detail of the scene in front of her. Cautiously, unsure if she could dare to remove her eyes from where they joined, Scylla looked at Raelle’s eyes, seeing them just as focused on where they touched as Scylla was. 

The table had gone deathly quiet, Abigail and Tally eagerly watching the scene in front of them, poorly faking disinterest. 

Scared blue eyes met equally terrified ones, and with a scratchy voice that shook and trembled, reflecting just how much Raelle was trembling on the inside, just how she was breaking at the seams, how her hair was falling out by the strands, and fingers bit to the skin, how she was falling apart. A voice that gave a plea that Scylla would never refuse, even if she wanted to.

“Please, stay.” 

Scylla’s breath hitched as she met Raelle’s gaze, as she met those eyes whose fire had dulled, they looked even more tired than she could ever remember seeing them. Curse Raelle and her tired eyes Scylla wanted to hold her close to her chest, run her hands through those blonde strands and whisper sweet nothings to her.

Raelle watched, making sure that Scylla sat down, and when she did she coughed, retracted her hand slowly and gave a slight nod before fixing her attention back onto her food, grabbing her fork tightly again. 

Tally and Abigail resumed their talk, clearly trying to steer the tension out of the air. Raelle watched Scylla engage with them, noting the way her jaw would clench with a particular comment from Abigail, or how when she clearly grew uncomfortable and anxious her eyes met Raelle’s unconsciously, unable to stop herself from whatever boost of assurance she got from the blonde fixer. 

“Do you like pizza?” Tally asked excitedly, and Scylla smiled politely, nodding her head as an answer.

“Glory is snatching some from offbase, she got clearance, we’re gonna eat it tonight in the rec room and watch a movie, you in?” 

Scylla’s eyes flickered over at Raelle, the two of them silent, communicating as if everything and nothing at all had changed between them. It hurt, because at the end of the day, they could still read each other and could still have those silent conversations with the raise of a brow and the twitch of a lip. 

Raelle blinked and Scylla relaxed her shoulders once again, returning her gaze back towards Tally, who was curiously watching the interaction between them, making mental notes about each and every little thing. 

“I’d love to.” Abigail sighed, shaking her head with a laugh, moving a hand to slap Scylla’s back with a little more force than needed as she entered the conversation.

“Careful though, Glory’s bound to get pineapple on it.” Scylla went to open her mouth, the words right on the tip of her tongue before a flash of blonde hair whipping up stopped her.

“Scylla likes pineapple on her pizza.” Tally and Abigail looked at each other, it was quick but both girls noticed it regardless of how fast the unit mates thought they were.

Scylla looked at Raelle with a curious expression, and one amazed too.  _ She remembered.  _ And of course she remembered, because Raelle’s the kind of girl to hear you say you like daisies and a month later she’d show up at your door with daisies looking freshly removed from the earth, dirt stained on her hands, shirt, and knees of her trousers because if they aren’t fresh they’re not good enough.

The table was silent, a repeating occurrence the evening was bringing and finally, as always Abigail found herself filling the void, trying to bring lightness to the air even if it failed, crash and burned like a plane because for all things she was great at, her humor had a way of not quite hitting it’s mark.

“That’s your true crime there, liking pineapple on pizza alone makes you a terrorist.” Tally’s eyes widened and a sharp thud later had Abigail yelling out ‘ow,’ no doubt the knower kicked her,  _ hard,  _ under the table. Raelle looked ready to say something, but Scylla wasn’t looking at her, no she had her brow raised in challenge at the high atlantic, ready to strike.

“That’s incredibly offensive.” Scylla’s tone was deathly serious, and the table’s tension sky rocketed, until the brunette let out a daring smirk. “It was a very sought after taste one needed to fill to be eligible for the Spree.” Abigail snorted, and Scylla slapped her back with just as much force as earlier. 

“Lookin’ pale there Bells.” Raelle smirked, and Scylla’s heart almost stopped, seeing it so fresh and alive. Just seeing that damn smile again, the grin that teased her and made her rainy days a little brighter.

“Yeah well, necro here had the audacity to touch me, think she let a ghost possess me.” Laughter broke out in the rounds and they all clutched their stomachs to try and ease the pain as their abs clenched. 

Soon enough the sky darkened, and as they left the building, Unit and Co in tow, Raelle strayed back, letting Tally and Abigail take the lead to the rec room as she waited for Scylla. And right on queue the brunette fell in step beside her, making sure to keep enough distance so that they’re hands wouldn’t accidentally graze, but if as they started walking she subconsciously got closer that wasn’t something either would comment on. 

“I’m gonna talk Scyl, and, I uh just need ya to listen. I don’t wanna hear none of them I’m sorries, and I chose you’s cause I’ve heard them plenty.” Scylla clamped her mouth shut, the bucket of icy fear now pouring onto her, and Raelle could sense it. 

“I need ya ta know I don’t hate you. Even if I wanted to I could never hate you, but I can’t trust you either. Which fucking sucks because I look at you and all I wanna do is run to you, and hold you and kiss your stupid lips and hear your stupid voice and it’s so stupid. Cause I should never talk to you again, and that was my plan ‘til Tally and Abs ruined that.” 

Eyes met each other in the cover of the dark, and Raelle didn’t realize they’d broke away from her unit, didn’t realize she led Scylla unknowingly to a tree, their tree. 

“And no matter how many times I tell myself I don’t love you I can’t speak it out loud, hell even Anacostia calls me on that bullshit. The day I left you in that cell I came here, and-and she had to hold me together, my entire unit has had to hold me together, my pop- and even that’s not enough. You broke me, shook me to my core and well, pop always said clear tape ain’t as good as duck tape.” 

Raelle wiped her nose, and Scylla fought the urge to reach out and touch her.

“Point is, you did somethin’ something so unforgivable, you’ve done so many terrible things, and well. You deserve to rot.” 

Scylla sucked in a sharp breath, unable to stop a tear that slipped down her cheek. She deserved this, she deserved this, she deserved this, she-

“But I want you anyways. I need you. And that scares me, that makes me angry, because I don’t want anyone else, don’t want anyone’s hands or body on mine, no other lips. I see you and I only see lazy sundays and the fuzzy feelin’ of my head when I drink a lil’ to much of my neighbor’s moonshine. I can’t get enough of it, and I never will, and I want you. I don’t wanna see you with anyone else, I don’t wanna be with anyone else, and I get so damn angry because you, someone who loves me lied to me, and I sit here and think about how everyone who loves me, who I love sits and lies to me-”

“Raelle-” Scylla tried to break in but Raelle shook her head.

“I ain’t finished yet. Tally lied to me ‘bout you, My pop, my- my mama, you. Gets me thinkin’ that I’m just meant to love and be lied to. And I deserve better than that, that’s what Bells says anyways, and it’s what I know is true deep down.” 

Raelle went silent and Scylla felt the nail hit it’s final beat on the coffin, and the sky grew darker to her eyes because Raelle was right, and she couldn’t fault her for it. Who was Scylla to think that Raelle should stoop so low as to love someone like her? 

“Funny thing is, if I can forgive Tally, my pop, mama is a different story, but the feelin’s still there, why can’t I forgive you?”

The coffin cracked open, and Scylla felt her breath hold in her lungs, unable to breathe for fear she’d wake up from this dream.

“And that’s when I realize, It’s cause I already did. I forgave you in that cell, when I took one look at you and realized I’d fight the whole damn world, as long as nothin’ touched a strand of hair on your head. I forgave you, because with those lies Tally chose her loyalties, pop chose my mama, and mama chose herself. But you? You chose me, and no one's ever done that for me before.” 

“I ain’t sayin’ you’re right, or that you know, everything’s okay, but I’m saying, I’m lost without you, and even if it’s probably wrong, I love you, and I’m gonna fight to love you. Fight to keep that a possibility, fight to help you if you’re willing to become a better person, because dammit Scyl I don’t wanna live in a world where I don’t have you.” 

Scylla sighed relief, and tears streamed down her cheeks as gentle warm lips met hers, and under the cover of their tree, the leaves slowly turning growing back in as spring begun to come back, like the physical embodiment of their love, the two felt like they were home again. Even if there was much work to be done, and they’d have to move slow, both desperately clung onto the other, giving in to their instincts under the cover of the night, only the stars and crickets a witness to them joining, and their inner harmony restored as they strengthened up to fight the world, together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They had sex, okay. they're having sex, it's emotional give em' some privacy pervs...
> 
> either way I could totally continue this if y'all want, there's still plenty of angst and things to work out, I mean who doesn't want to see the challenges of rebuilding a relationship that's been ruined by lies and only hanging on by each's pure passion and need to have the other in their life regardless? Lots and lots of trust issues to smooth out over here, and you know.. Scylla is still kinda a very big misguided person and all that which could totally be explored... who knows :) <3

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know if you guys would like more of this lil world! 
> 
> As always I love you all and please have a good day and drink some water for me!


End file.
